2000 years ago the Bafa Lake was a bay of the Aegean Sea called the ‘Gulf of Lade’. Due to the deposits of the river Meandros (Turkish: Buyuk Menderes Nehri) the bay was slowly seperated from the sea. This explains why the lake contains water with a slight salt content, in which mullets, sea breams, eeles and carps are caught. The lake is surrounded by the Latmos Mountains (Turkish: ‘Besparmak’) which rise up to 1400 meters. These mystic mountains are an excellent area for amitious hiking and trekking tours. Since 700 A.D. hermits and monks have left their marks on those remote mountain slopes. Byzantıine monastries and hermit caves are favorite destinations for study trips. The village Kapikiri is a paticularly suitale location for study and hiking trips. Situated close by the lake and below the Latmos Mountains, but not far away from the town of Bafa, where the turn-off to Kapikiri can be found. The village Kapikari is built on the ruins of the ancient city Heracleia, the present houses in many cases are resting directly on the ancient foundations. Stones from surrounding ruins where used to build the new houses, streets and property demarcations. Therefore the whole village has recieved monument protection status.